Is Airbnb Safe In Colombia? (Tips From A Former Colombia Resident)

Wondering If Airbnb Is Safe In Colombia, Or If There Are Better, Safer Accommodation Options?

As a former Colombia resident (I lived in the Coffee Region and taught English), I traveled all over the country on my own, stayed in many different types of hotels, lived in an airbnb, and talked with many of my fellow English teachers about living arrangements, so hopefully my personal experiences will help you decide what kind of place you should stay at while you’re traveling in Colombia.

🇨🇴 Is Airbnb Safe In Colombia?

I personally think that private hotels rooms are much better options all around the country.

While living and traveling in Colombia, I personally used hotels and Airbnb’s all over the country, from big cities like Medellin, Bogota, Cali, and Cartagena to smaller towns like Salento, Villa de Leyva, and San Agustin.

Colombia is generally safe for tourists, and Airbnb can be a safe option at times (they have a vetting process so hosts have been somewhat evaluated), but many, including myself, have had extremely poor experiences with them, and would recommend choosing a different type of accommodation here.

⚠️ Reasons Why Airbnb Isn’t Always Safe In Colombia

Airbnb and similar hosted accommodations proved themselves poor choices in my personal experiences as well as others I knew teaching English in Colombia like myself for multiple reasons:

1. Legal Problems

If hosts/homeowners don't follow all the legal rules required, it could cause legal problems for them and you.

In the past Airbnb was technically illegal and highly unregulated in Colombia, and although it’s now legal, there are specific rules hosts need to follow like minimum renting days or the requirement to be registered through RNT (Registro Nacional de Turismo).

Some hosts may still ignore these requirements, which could leave both them and their guests in danger of legal issues.

2. Issues Getting There

Airbnb isn't always a super safe option in Colombia because they can be difficult to get to for most drivers.

Taxi’s or Ubers (the safer option) often have difficulties finding exact locations when given an address (even with GPS) in Colombia. Directions don’t work quite the same here, so riders that can’t give specific instructions may spend a lot of time riding around trying to find their Airbnb.

3. Shared Rooms

I always prefer private rooms when traveling to be as safe as possible.

While some prefer the cheaper, communal options available with shared Airbnb’s and hostels, they’re not always the safest options in Colombia.

Typical Problems Include:

safety (both personal and to belongings)
lack of cleanliness (from guests or hosts not cleaning communal areas)
lack of basic supplies (hosts may not provide them)
problems with hosts if they live on the premises (more on this below)

4. Airbnb Locations

Not every neighborhood is safe in Colombia so choosing an Airbnb can be difficult if you're not familiar with the area.

For those unfamiliar with Colombia, it can be difficult to know where to stay and what neighborhoods to avoid because good and bad neighborhoods can border each other. This is especially important in bigger cities like Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, and Cali.

5. Residential Areas

Airbnb will typically be located in more residential areas which can be farther from tourist sites so in may not be as safe for those that aren't very familiar with Colombia.

Airbnb’s are usually in residential areas and with that comes two possible problems:

walls are constructed thin in Colombia so loud guests or going in and out late at night won’t be allowed or appreciated by neighbors
residential areas may be more isolated and far from tourist areas, making it not as safe (especially for solo travelers and/or at night)

6. Homeowners + Hosts

All the hosts or homeowners I personally encountered or friends of mine encountered, caused numerous issues and lots of headaches.

When I moved to Colombia my roommates and I found our apartment through Airbnb while others we knew rented rooms from families, and not one of us had a good experience because of the hosts/homeowners.

Everyone that stayed in a house with a family had nightmare situations where things went missing, the owners constantly came into their private rooms, and they demanded more money.

My Airbnb refused to return deposits (despite the apartment looking exactly like how we found it) and the “property manager” constantly snooping around whenever she wanted (and even smoking in our apartment)!

⚖️ Is It Worth Using Airbnb In Colombia?

While Airbnb can provide more unique experiences, give more local knowledge, or be more suitable for groups, they’re not always cheaper, lack of legal rule following can cause issues, the neighborhoods aren’t always safe, they can be difficult to locate, and hosts can be crazy, so I personally think private hotel rooms are the best way to go when traveling in Colombia.

Plus if you wait to book most of your hotel rooms until you arrive in Colombia, you’ll get the “Colombian prices” which are quite cheap.

➡️ Tips For Choosing A Safe Airbnb In Colombia

People are generally great in Colombia, but homeowners cause some weird and concerning issues so it's best to avoid staying in places like that.

If you still want to check out Airbnb for some of your travels in Colombia, here are a few suggestions to help you choose good, safe options:

Highest Rated Options

Don’t even bother with an Airbnb in Colombia if it’s rating is less than 4.95 to be as safe as possible. Stick with options that guests are always happy with.

Highly Reviewed Options

If an Airbnb has great reviews but only three of them, I’d suggest searching for options with more experience. They could be fine, but I think it’s better for safety to choose options with many reviews.

No Outside Charges

No matter what story they come up with, never let a host charge you for anything outside of the Airbnb platform (this has happened in Colombia). This is not allowed, and hosts that do this should be reported.

I think there are much better and more safe options for accommodations in Colombia than Airbnb.

No Extra Charges

Hosts should never ask for payments that were not listed and already paid for through the Airbnb platform (this has also happened in Colombia). They should never demand more money, but if they do, refuse and report them.

Forget About Your Deposits

Some hosts require certain security deposits, but it’s best to plan on not getting this money back, and just be happy if it is returned to you.

Know How To Get There, Before Getting There

Addresses aren’t always easy to find in Colombia, even with GPS, so it’s best to get all the location info from the host ahead of time (like nearby landmarks or shops and restaurants) to make it easier for drivers to find.

*️⃣ Tip: Still wondering where to visit in Colombia? Check out some of my other posts like “Is Colombia Worth Visiting” and the “13 Most Beautiful Places in Colombia” for some help deciding.

🔁 Sum Up: Is Airbnb Safe In Colombia?

While Airbnb can sometimes be a good, safe option in Colombia (especially when following the tips listed above), my personal experiences and those of my fellow English teachers proved that Airbnb isn’t always a good option here (I personally wouldn’t choose to stay in one again) and that private hotel rooms are much safer, more convenient, often cheaper, and less stressful.